It's rare for a sequel to outshine the original, but that's the case with THQ's 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand, an impressive follow-up to 2006's less-than-spectacular-yet-commercially successful 50 Cent: Bulletproof.

In 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand, the rapper's second video game, it's all about the movies. "It's like being in an action film that you can actually control," he says. "I think the game is going to be really exciting, and people are going to be blown away by the increase in quality."

50 Cent said Kayne West is making the right decision by returning to the stage after his mother's sudden death. "That's really an unfortunate situation and I hope he can work his way through it," 50 told The Associated Press in an interview Tuesday. "It's good to see him actually touring: You can work your way back into a comfortable space where you can deal with those situations."

If you want a sense of how stressful it's been for 50 Cent to release his third album, just look at the CD cover. Whereas his first two albums featured portraits that exuded confidence and authority -- a rippling torso coupled with a menacing glare -- 50's new album out Tuesday, "Curtis," shows a seemingly frustrated 50, hands on his head, an extreme close-up accenting his furrowed brow.